It is known, for example from DE19910746, to revive the profile of a grinding worm by means of profiling disc tools, which have active cutting portions that are caused to slide in contact with the thread of the grinding worm itself. Different types of profiling tools which differ, one with respect to another, in the shape and dimensions of the respective cutting profiles and which are suited for profiling the grinding worm through a linear or localized contact i.e. in a small and circumscribed area are also known. The profiling operation with linear contact is relatively fast, however, it has the limitation of obtaining a profile along the flank of the thread equal to the profile of the disc profiling tool. While, with the profiling operation with localized contact variable profiles on the axial section of the thread can be obtained; however, the finishing operation with localized contact has the disadvantage of being relatively slow as the profiling tool must perform a large series of repeated passages in order to treat the entire profile of the grinding worm. Furthermore, the profiling operation with localized contact requires the machining of rectilinear sections with radiated portions of a tool consequently obtaining imperfect local machining.
It is well known to replace the profiling tool to obtain different profiling operations, for instance to obtain linear or pin-point profiling.
It is also known to use, selectively and depending on the specific purpose, profiling tools with differing cutting characteristics (model, size, distribution of the abrasive material, kind of binder, etc. . . . ). Profiling tools with different cutting characteristics are often used to shorten the profiling time or for profiling grinding worms having a greater hardness and that cause relatively fast wear on the profiling tool.
However, the costs of the profiling tool are high and replacement times of the same are relatively long.